Myanmar to build new bridge to facilitate border trade link in eastern state

YANGON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have planned to construct a new suspension bridge to ease border road congestion and facilitate border trade link in Shan state, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Saturday.

Under the management of the Ministry of Construction, the suspension bridge will be constructed on the Gotelwin section of the Mandaly-Muse Union highway, a main route for border trade between China and Myanmar, this year.

The highway accommodates the transport of commodities to neighboring China.

Frequent traffic jams on the highway cause delays in transportation and border traders suffer losses while exporting perishable goods, such as marine products.

Nearly 16 million U.S. dollars' worth border trade are being conducted by using about 3,000 cargo trucks per day on the highway.

Meanwhile, bilateral trade between Myanmar and China hit 10.7 billion U.S. dollars as of February in last fiscal year 2017-2018, according to the figures from the Commerce Ministry.

The country usually trade with China via Muse, Lweje, Kanpikete, Chinshwehaw and Kengtung border points. Enditem